Just started using Twitter and feeling a little confused? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Almost everyone says exactly the same thing when they first sign up, and they’re right – at first it can be tough to get the hang of. But usually after a week or two, most people become Twitter converts and swear by it.
Once you’ve got into the swing of Twitter, whether you’re running or working for a business or just using it for fun, you’ll probably want to increase your followers. There are many schools of thought on t how to achieve his: some people say that the best way to get followers is to tweet as often as possible; others say that the more people you follow the more you’ll get back; while some say that no strategy makes any difference, and that your follower base depends entirely on your status in the real world.
While there’s something to be said for each of these arguments, it’s important to realize that drastically increasing your following overnight isn’t likely. But there are things you can do, especially from a business point of view, to help you gradually build up your following over time:
Write a good bio
A good Twitter bio is always relevant, amusing and concise. Be sure to get keywords in relating to what you do – not only will this help people find you when searching practitioners in your industry, but you’ll also climb the results list in Google searches. Try not to cram too much into your biography, as a lot of disjointed info can make your profile (and in turn your business) look confused.
Follow those you want to follow you
Try and seek out your peers or your customer base. If you think people will be interested in you and your posts, follow them. While it’s unlikely that all of them will return the favor, this is a good way to modestly increase your following.
Make re tweeting worth their while
You don’t need to be Confucius by any means, but people are more likely to re tweet posts they find amusing or poignant, so keep this in mind when tweeting. Alternatively, if you’re a business and you want to promote a particular event or a product, then why not try offering prizes for re tweets? It’s a great way of getting your followers to do your marketing for you, and increase your brand awareness.
Liven things up with pictures
Twitter is a lot more picture friendly than it used to be, so why not make your feed more interesting with some images? Again, if you’re selling a product or an event, take pictures of it – this will help people to see what you or your company is all about, and make pushing the follow button more appealing.